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Sun Editorial: Tsongas advances U.S. fight against drug traffickers

January 18, 2018

The Lowell Sun

UPDATED: 01/14/2018 09:36:57 AM EST

U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas, known for her support of the military with legislation targeting sexual assault in the armed forces, promoting the purchase of American footwear and highlighting the unique contributions of Hanscom Air Base, can now add aiding the war on drugs to her congressional résumé.

The Lowell Democrat, who'll be leaving Congress this year after serving the voters of the Merrimack Valley and central Massachusetts for six terms, will exit knowing those fighting to stem the flow of illegal drugs into this country will have another weapon in their arsenal.

On Wednesday, President Donald Trump put his signature on a bill she co-sponsored in the House with Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick.

Known as the INTERDICT Act, it allocates $9 million in federal funding for high-tech screening devices that can identify lethal substances like fentanyl at ports of entry and provide the trained personnel to operate them. The House version of the legislation passed in October by an overwhelming 412-3 margin, while the Senate iteration, sponsored by Massachusetts Democrat Ed Markey and Florida Republican Marco Rubio, passed unanimously in December.

The deadly opioid crisis, which has already devastated for too many families in this state and across the nation, went from bad to worse with the introduction of fentanyl, a lethal synthetic opioid far more potent than heroin.

While overdose deaths in this state have actually declined, according to the state Department of Public Health, fentanyl was found in 80 percent of those 1,470 lethal cases in the January-September reporting period.

Traffickers often combine fentanyl and heroin into a highly toxic mixture that's then sold to unsuspecting addicts expecting simply a heroin hit, with deadly results. Thankfully, the overdose antidote Narcan has managed to save more lives, even as the number of overdoses continues to rise.

All of which shows just what a vital tool Tsongas' bill provides, especially for Customs and Border Protection agents attempting to prevent fentanyl from entering this country, primarily from Mexico or via the mail from China. Tsongas said it may even provide safer working conditions for CBP agents by lowering the likelihood of exposure to fentanyl. Although there is disagreement among toxicologists, some believe skin contact with the substance or inhalation of airborne particles can be dangerous.

Because of its potency, fentanyl can be transported in small quantities, which makes it more difficult to detect. That's where this new scanning technology can play a key interdicting role.

Of course, it's just part of a comprehensive approach in combating this drug epidemic.

Tsongas should be applauded for her efforts to stem this insidious tide, and in the bipartisan manner in which she accomplished it.